Remote control for an internal combustion engine



1967 J. A. NICHOLSON 3,338,225

REMOTE CONTROL FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed April 22, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 15 /7 25 36 13 14 37 29 j .J a Q 34 53 Q a 27 M ll I IIIIB J 54 55 F/Q 44 v m 1W 45 .F/ a. 3

INVENTOR JOHN A. N/CHOLSON ATTORNEY g- 29, 1967 J. A. NICHOLSON 3,338,225

REMOTE CONTROL FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed April 22, 1965 s Sheets-Sheet 2 w wk 57 INVENTOR JO N A. NICHOLSON ATTORNEY Aug. 29, 1967 J. A. NICHOLSON 3,338,225

REMOTE CONTROL FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed April 22, 1965 (5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Jo/wv A. NICHOLSON United States Patent 3,338,225 REMOTE CONTROL FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE John A. Nicholson, 36 Norbert Place, St. Paul, Minn. 55116 Filed Apr. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 450,095 7 Claims. (Cl. 123179) earth compacting devices include engines which cause a vibratory movement of the rollers in compacting the earth. It is difiicult to control the operation of these engines by connecting links or levers and thus it is usually extremely difiicult for a single operator to operate both the tractor and the towed devices. As another ex-' ample, it is sometimes desirable to control a series of pumping engines from a single station. By attaching my remote control device to each of the engines the individual pump engines may be started, stopped and speed controlled.

A feature of the present invention resides in the fact i that the apparatus is very simple in construction, and

usually can be produced for a fraction of the cost normally involved in providing the various connecting links or lines which have been previously used to accomplish the purpose. The device comprises a housing of elongated form in which a threaded shaft is supported extending longitudinally of the housing. A reversible motor is attached to the housing, and acts to selectively rotate the shaft in either direction. A cross-head is threadedly supported upon the threaded shaft, and moves longitudinally of the shaft upon rotation of the motor. In normal operation, a pair of links connects the cross-head to the controls of the motor, one link extending to the throttle for controlling the engine speed, and the other link being connected to a lever controlling the stop lever of the engine.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a lost motion linkage connecting the cross-head and the links. As a result, the link which is connected to the stop lever of the engine functions only as the crosshead reaches one extreme position of its stroke. The

throttle control lever is operated during movement of the cross-head towards its other extreme position, and increases or decreases the speed of the engine upon movements of the cross-head toward or away from this other extreme position. When the cross-head is moved away from this other extreme position, the throttle lever is moved to idling position, and remains in this position until the speed is increased by a reversal in the directon of movement of the cross-head, or until the stop lever is actuated to stop the engine.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of limit switches which are actuated in the extreme positions of the cross-head to open the circuit to the motor and to prevent a further movement of the cross-head in one direction or the other.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a lost motion linkage system which comprises a pair of loops of elongated form which engage projecting studs on opposite sides of the cross-head. These elongated loops permit longitudinal movement of the cross-head throughout the length of the loop without causing movement of the linkage. Upon movement of the cross-head toward one extreme position, an end of the loop on the link connected to the stop lever of the engine is engaged to stop the engine. Upon movement of the cross-head toward the other extreme position, the opposite end of the link connected with the throttle is engaged to move the throttle lever from idling position to a maximum speed which is at the other extreme position of the cross-head.

A feature of the present invention resides in the fact that the control may be adapted for use either on diesel engines or on gasoline engines provided either with a magneto or coil connected to a suitable source of supply of current. In the event the control unit is used in conjunction with an engine having a lever which is pivoted into a position to stop the engine, the two linkages which have been described are employed. However, if the engine power supply is provided by a magneto, an additional switch is provided which is normally open, but which is closed as the cross-head moves into one extreme position to ground the magneto and to thus stop the flow of current to the spark plugs. If the current is supplied through a coil, an additional leverage which is provided which is normally closed and is connected between the coil and the distributor to open the circuit as the crosshead nears one extreme position.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be more fully set forth in the following specification and claims:

In the drawings forming a part of the specifications;

FIGURE 1 is a diamagneti-c view of an engine showing the control attached thereto for operating the throttle and the stop lever of the engine.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the control housing with the side panel removed, showing the cross-head in one extreme position.

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of one of the control links.

FIGURE 4 is an elevational view of the other of the control links.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view through the control housing, the position of the section being indicated by the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 on a somewhat smaller scale, showing the cross-head in its other extreme position.

FIGURE 7 is a diamagnetic view of the wiring of the control when used in conjunction with a diesel engme.

FIGURE 8 is a partial wiring diagram showing the manner in which the control is connected to an engine having a magneto.

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to FIGURE 8 showing the arrangement when the engine current is supplied from a coil to adistributor.

The control unit A is designed for use with an engine B which may be a diesel engine or a gasoline engine of a conventional form. The control A is supported by a bracket plate 10 attached to a portion of the body of the engine and connected to an attaching flange 11 by fastening means such as the bolts 12. In view of the fact that the engines vary in size and proportion, the bracket plate 10 must be properly formed to suit each particular form of engine B.

As indicated in FIGURE 2 of the drawings, the control unit A is provided with a housing 13 including a back plate 14, from which project peripheral flanges which terminate in a common plane parallel to the back plate 14. These flanges include a top wall 15, a bottom wall 16, and opposite end walls 17 and 19. The end wall 17 is anchored in face contact 3 with the anchoring flange 11, supporting the housing 13 extending in right angular relation to the anchoring flange 11.

A motor 20 is secured to the mounting flange or anchoring flange 11 by means of bolts or studs 21 extending through the anchoring flange and secured in position by means of nuts 22. This structure is best illustrated in FIGURE 5. Referring again to FIGURE 2, the motor 20 'is provided with a motor shaft 23 which extends through the anchoring flange 11 and the end housing wall 17 and is provided with a pinion 24. A threaded shaft 25 is rotatably supported to extend longitudinally of a housing 13 and is supported by bearings 26 and 27 on the housing end wall 17 and 19 respectively. The threaded shaft 25 is provided with a gear 29 which is in mesh with the pinion 24 so as to rotate the shaft 25 upon rotation of the reversible motor 20.

A cross-head 30 is provided with an internally threaded aperture 31 therethrough (FIGURE and is threaded onto the shaft 25. A pair of pins 32 and 33 extend laterally from the cross-head 30, these pins or studs being axially aligned. The cross-head 30 is engageable with the operating arms 34 and 35 of a pair of limit switches 36 and 37 respectvely. As the cross-head moves to the extreme position illustrated in FIGURE 2 of the drawings, the switch 37 is actuated to prevent further movement of the cross head by opening the circuit to the motor 20 as will be later described. As the cross-head 30 reaches its other extreme position as indicated in FIGURE 6 of the drawings, it engages the arm 34 of the limit switch 36, thus opening the circuit to the motor 20 to prevent further movement of the cross-head toward the left as viewed in this figure.

A pair of links are actuated by the cross-head 30, these links being illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4. The link -39 illustrated in FIGURE 3 is connected by link extension 40 to a stop lever 41 normally biased to one extreme position by a spring 42 connected to the lever 41 at 43, and connected to a fixed point on the engine at 44. Obviously, the type of spring employed varies in different engines. The link 39 is bent at 44 to provide a rearwardly bent arm 45 parallel to the body of the link 39. The link 39, bent portion 44, and parallel arm 45 form in effect a loop which accommodates the pin or stud 32 on the cross-head 30.

The link 46 is designed for connection with a link extension 47 pivotally connected at 49 to a throttle lever 50 which is urged in one pivotal direction by a spring 51 diagrammatically illustrated as being connected to the lever 50 at 52, and to the engine at 53. The link 46 is indicated in detail in FIGURE 4 of the drawings and includes a rounded end 54 which connects the main body of the link 46 to a parallel arm 55 having an upwardly curved end 56 to form a closed loop. The curved end is connected to or is closely adjacent to the body 46 of the link. The link body 46 and arm 55 are spaced properly to accommodate the pin or stud 33 on the cross-head 30.

As will be understood, the link extensions 40 and 47 must be shaped to fit the shape of the particular engine and to connect the control unit A with the stop-lever 41 and the throttle lever 50. In usual practice, the stop-lever 41 cuts off the entire flow of fuel from the fuel tank to the engine B. Thus, when the stop-lever 41 is swung in a counterclockwise direction about the operating shaft 57, 'the stop-lever functions to stop the engine B. The throttle lever 50 is urged toward an idling position by the spring 51 and in one extreme position the control shaft 59 of the throttle lever 50 is in this idling position. A pivotal movement of the throttle lever '50 in a clockwise direction acts 'to increase the speed of the engine, and at one extreme engine stopping position, and the limit stretch 36 has functioned to stop further rotation of the motor 20. The control remains in this position until it is desired to again start the engine.

As will be pointed out in conjunction with the wiring diagrams, the engine cannot be started unless the remote control operating lever is in an on position, and the double throw switch which controls the circuit to the motor 20 is put in position to rotate the motor in a direction to move the crosshead 30 to the right toward the position illustrated in FIGURE 2 of the drawings. Once the crosshead 30 has been disengaged from the switch arm 34 of the remote control switch 36, continued movement of the crosshead 30 has no eifect upon the speed of the engine until the pin 33 of the crosshead engages the closed end 56 of the loop in the link 46. Further movement of the crosshead 30' to the right will increase the speed of the engine by pivoting the throttle lever 50, and the speed increases until the crosshead 30 engages the lever 35 of the limit switch 37. Further movement of the crosshead to the right will act to break the circuit to the motor through the limit switch 37.

FIGURE 7 of the drawings shows the wiring diagram of the apparatus when it is used to control a diesel engine. As has been described, when the crosshead 30 moves in one direction, it engages the switch arm 34 to break the motor circuit at the same time the stop lever 41 is pivoted into position to stop the engine. The circuit includes the battery 60 one terminal of which is grounded as indicated in 61. The other battery terminal is connected by conductor 62 to the engine ignition switch 63. This switch 63 is connected by a conductor 64 to a double throw switch 65 which forms a part of the remote control unit which is indicated in general by the numeral 67.

The switch blade 66 is engaged with a terminal 69 connected by a conductor 70 to a switch terminal 71 which is shown as being engageable with the normally closed switch arm 34 which is a part of the limit switch 36. In FIGURE 7, the crosshead 30 has already engaged a switch arm 34 to open the contacts 34, 71, of the switch 36. The switch arm 34 is connected by a conductor 72 to one terminal of the reversible motor 20, the motor 20 having a grounded terminal 73. Accordingly, when the ignition switch 63 is closed, the control switch 66 is in engagement with the terminal 69, and the limit switch contacts 34, 71, are closed, the motor 20 will rotate in a direction to move the crosshead in a direction toward the motor as indicated in the figure.

When the control switch 66 of the remote control unit 67 is moved into engagement with its second terminal 74, a current from the battery 60 may pass through the ignition switch 63 and control switch 66 to the conductor 75 leading to a terminal 76 of the limit switch 37 which is engageable with the switch arm 35. The circuit continues through the conductor 77 to a third terminal of the motor 20, completing a circuit to the ground 73 and causing rotation of the motor 20 in a direction to move the crosshead away from the motor 20 as viewed. A movement of the crosshead in this direction tends to increase the speed of operation of the engine until the crosshead opens the limit switch 37 When the control switch 63 is in engagement with the terminal 74, a circuit is also closed to one terminal 79 of a starter switch 80, the other terminal 81 being connected by conductor 82 to the starting solenoid 83, the second terminal which is grounded at 84. By pressing down on the starter switch 80, and swinging the control switch lever 66 into engagement with the contact 74, the crosshead 30 moves in a direction to release the stop lever 41 of the engine from its engine stopping position, and to close a circuit to the starting solenoid 83 which controls the engine starter. The details of this portion of the engine circuit are not disclosed as it is common practice.

, From the foregoing description it will be obvious that the remote control unit 67 which contains the control switch 66 and the starting switch is connected by four conductors to the engine itself, and as a result the remote control unit may be placed at any distance from the engine within reason. The engine may be started, stopped, or run atany speed between a maximum speed and idlrng speed. Thus the operator has complete control of the operation of the engine while at a distance therefrom.

The circuit used in FIGURE 8 of the drawings is employed for controlling engines in which the ignition circuit includes a magneto indicated at 85. This type of engine is normally stopped by grounding the magneto circuit. In view of the fact that engines of this type are very well known in the art, the magneto circuit is not illustrated. The remote control unit 67, the battery supply circuit, and the starting solenoid current shown in FIG- URE 8 are identical to the similar structure shown in FIGURE 7, and accordingly the parts have been given similar numbers. The motor which is grounded at 73 and which drives the crosshead 30 between two extreme positions to actuate limit switches 36 and 37 is also similar to the arrangement illustrated in FIGURE 7. The main point of difference between these two circuits lies in the fact that the normally open switch 86 is provided adjoining the limit switch 37 and operated simultaneously. The purpose of this second switch 84 is to provide a means of grounding the magneto 85. In this arrangement, the stop lever 41, the link 39 and the link extension 40 are eliminated.

When the control switch is in engagement with the contact 69, a circuit is closed from the battery 60 and ignition switch 63 to a conductor 87 leading to the normally closed terminal 76 of the limit switch 37. The circuit is completed through the conductor 89 to a terminal of the motor 20, the second terminal of which is grounded at 73. This circuit acts to move the crosshead 30 in a direction away from the motor 20. When the crosshead 30 reaches its opposite extreme position, it engages the limit switch arm 35 and opens the circuit to the motor 20 thus stopping the motor. At the same time, the crosshead 30 engages the arm 90 of the switch 86 and causes the arm 90 to engage the terminal 91 of the switch 86. The arm 90 is connected to ground as indicated at 92, while the terminal 91 is connected to the magneto circuit through the conductor 93 thus grounding the circuit and stopping the engine. When the control lever 66 is in engagement with the terminal 74, a conductor 94 is connected to the terminal 71 which is normally engaged with the arm 34 of the limit switch 36. This completes the circuit through a conductor 95 to the motor 20 to rotate the motor 20 in a direction to move the crosshead 30 toward the motor as viewed in the drawings.

The circuit shown in FIGURE 9 is used when the control unit is to control an internal combustion engine in which the current to the spark plugs is supplied through a coil 96 which provides current for the distributor 97. The structure is virtually identical to that illustrated in FIGURE 8 with the exception of the fact that the switch 99 mounted in the control unit for actuation simultaneously with the limit switch 37 is normally closed, and the current from the coil to the distributor passes through this switch. As a result, when the crosshead 30 actuates the limit switch 37, it also actuates the switch 99 in order to break the ignition circuit between the coil and the distri butor.

From the foregoing description, it will be clear that any common type of internal combustion engine or diesel engine, may be readily controlled from a remote point by providing the remote control unit 67 which is connected to the fixed control unit on the body by a fourwire cable. As the remote control unit which includes the control switch 66 and starter switch 80 may be only large enough to contain these two switches, a considerable number of engines may be controlled individually from a single location. The remote control units may, for example, be mounted on a tractor for controlling the engines of a series of earth compacting rollers. With such an arrangement, the earth compacting rollers may be turned off by the tractor operator without leaving the seat of the tractor and without the use of the connecting links and levers which manually control the usual engine controls.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction to an improvement in automatic controls with a means of starting, stopping or controlling the speed of an internal combustion engine or a diesel engine, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A remote control device for use in conjunction with an engine having a pivoted throttle normally biased toward idling position, a starter solenoid adapted to start the engine, a unit attached to the engine including a reciprocating member, a reversible motor for reciprocating said member, a link connected to said reciprocating member and adapted to pivot the throttle lever upon reciprocation of said reciprocating member, said motor including two motor circuits having a common terminal; one circuit operable, when energized, to drive the motor in one direction and the other circuit operable, when energized, to drive the motor in the opposite direction, and an electric power source for said starter solenoid, wherein the improvement comprises:

a remote control unit,

a circuit including said power source having one terminal connected to said common motor circuit terminal,

said reomte control unit including a manually operable double throw switch including a switch arm movable between two switch terminals, and a normally open starter switch,

a first connector extending from the other terminal of said power source to said arm of said double throw switch,

a second connector extending from one said motor circuit to one said switch terminal,

a third connector extending from the other said motor circuit to the other said switch terminal,

a fourth connector extending from said first connector through said normally open starter switch, said starter solenoid, and to said one terminal of said power source.

2. The structure of claim 1 and in which fourth connector is connected to said first connector through one of said double throw switch terminals to be activated only when said switch arm is in engagement with this terminal.

3. The structure of claim 1 and including a pair of normally closed limit switches in the path of movement of said reciprocating member, and in which one said limit switch is in said second connector and the other is in said third connector.

4. The structure of claim 3 and in which said engine includes an electrically controlled stopping means, and in which the device includes a third limit switch engageable simultaneously with one limit switch of said pair to stop the engine.

5. An engine control device for controlling the speed of an engine having a throttle lever pivotal between an idling speed position and a full speed position and normally biased toward idling position, a housing adapted to be fixedly supported by said engine, a threaded shaft rotatably supported by said housing, a reversible motor connected to said shaft for selectively rotating the shaft in either direction, a member threaded on said shaft and movable longitudinally thereof upon rotation thereof, a link adapted for connection to said throttle, and a stop lever pivotal between stop and run positions and normally biased toward run position, the improvement com prising:

said link having an elongated slot' therein parallel to the direction of movement of said threaded member, means on said threaded member engaged in said slot I and operable upon engagement with an end of said slot to pivot said throttle toward full speed position, said slot being longer than the length of movement of said threaded member necessary to move said throttle between said positions, whereby movement of said threaded member in the opposite direction is adapted to permit pivotal movement of said throttle toward idling position, and

further movement of said means on said threaded member is permitted by the length of said slot,

a second link pivotally connected to said stop lever and having an end parallel to, and adjacent to, said shaft, and

cooperab'le means on said second link and on said threaded member to pivot said stop lever to stop position when said threaded member has moved past the position at which said motor speed has been reduced to idling speed.

6. An improvement in engine control device for controlling the speed and operation of an internal combustion engine having a throttle control lever pivotal between idling speed position and full speed position, and normally biased toward idling speed position, and a stop lever pivotal between engine stop and engine run positions and normally biased toward engine run position, the improvement comprising:

an elongated support adapted to be fixedly secured to the engine,

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,680,818 6/1954 Ringwald 290- 2,873,382 2/1959 Herring 123179X a reciprocating means supported by said support to extend longitudinally between two extreme positions,

means connected to said reciprocating means to selectively reciprocate said reciprocating means in either direction,

a first link adapted to be pivotally connected to said throttle lever and having an end extending in side by side relation with said reciprocating means and engaged thereby upon reciprocation of said reciproeating means toward one extreme position, this link being adapted to pivot said throttle lever toward full speed position,

a second link pivotally connected to said stop lever having an end extending in side by side relation to said reciprocating means and engaged by said re-- ciprocating means upon movement thereof in the opposite direction after said throttle lever has been pivoted to idling speed position and said first link is disengaged from said engaged means thereon.

7. The structure of claim 6 and including means engaged by said reciprocating means upon movement thereof into either extreme position to stop movement of said means reciprocating said reciprocating means.

References Cited LAURENCE M. GOODRIDGE, Primary Examiner. 

1. A REMOTE CONTROL DEVICE FOR USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH AN ENGINE HAVING A PIVOTED THROTTLE NORMALLY BIASED TOWARD IDLING POSITION, A STARTER SOLENOID ADAPTED TO START THE ENGINE, A UNIT ATTACHED TO THE ENGINE INCLUDING A RECIPROCATING MEMBER, A REVERSIBLE MOTOR FOR RECIPROCATING SAID MEMBER, A LINK CONNECTED TO SAID RECIPROCATING MEMBER AND ADAPTED TO PIVOT THE THROTTLE LEVE UPON RECIPROCATION OF SAID RECIPROCATING MEMBER, SAID MOTOR INCLUDING TWO MOTOR CIRCUITS HAVING A COMMON TERMINAL; ONE CIRCUIT OPERABLE, WHEN ENERGIZED, TO DRIVE THE MOTOR IN ONE DIRECTION AND THE OTHER CIRCUIT OPERABLE, WHEN ENERGIZED, TO DRIVE THE MOTOR IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, AND AN ELECTRIC POWER SOURCE FOR SAID STARTER SOLENOID, WHEREIN THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISES: A REMOTE CONTROL UNIT, A CIRCUIT INCLUDING SAID POWER SOURCE HAVING ONE TERMINAL CONNECTED TO SAID COMMON MOTOR CIRCUIT TERMINAL, SAID REMOTE CONTROL UNIT INCLUDING A MANUALLY OPERABLE DOUBLE THROW SWITCH INCLUDING A SWITCH ARM MOVABLE BETWEEN TWO SWITCH TERMINALS, AND A NORMALLY OPEN STARTER SWITCH, A FIRST CONNECTOR EXTENDING FROM THE OTHER TERMINAL OF SAID POWER SOURCE TO SAID ARM OF SAID DOUBLE THROW SWITCH, A SECOND CONNECTOR EXTENDING FROM ONE SAID MOTOR CIRCUIT TO ONE SAID SWITCH TERMINAL, A THIRD CONNECTOR EXTENDING FROM THE OTHER SAID MOTOR CIRCUIT TO THE OTHER SAID SWITCH TERMINAL, A FOURTH CONNECTOR EXTENDING FROM SAID FIRST CONNECTOR STARTER SOLENOID, AND TO SAID ONE TERMINAL OF SAID POWER SOURCE. 